Landscaping That Fits Your Budget Two Trees Landscaping with Josh Karis

You can tell a lot about a local business by how it started, and Josh Karis from Two Trees Land and Lawn Care has one of those stories that sticks. One day he’s out shoveling snow, a driver pulls up, and a simple question changes everything: “Do you also do landscaping?” Josh says yes, builds the business from that moment, and ends up 15 years deep serving neighbors across Northeast Pennsylvania.

We talk about what Two Trees actually handles, from weekly lawn mowing and routine lawn care to mulching, trimming, and light tree work. Josh also breaks down the bigger projects homeowners ask for, like hardscaping with pavers and retaining walls, plus drainage solutions such as French drains that can fix standing water and protect your property. Along the way, he calls out a huge misconception: hiring a professional landscaper does not have to be unaffordable or only for high-end homes.

We also get into the business side of the work, including how he’s growing weekly service with door hangers, repeated neighborhood visibility, and targeted Facebook marketing. What stands out most is the service culture: you deal directly with Josh, the crew stays detail-oriented and tidy, and they aim to leave every yard nicer than they found it. If you’re looking for landscaping services near West Pittston, Nanticoke, or Dallas, this is a great listen for both homeowners and local business owners.

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Transcript

Welcome And Guest Introduction

SPEAKER_00 0:00

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Joe Longo.

SPEAKER_01 0:12

What's up, everybody? Welcome back to the Good Neighbor Podcast Live. Are you in need of a landscaper or some landscaping? Now that spring has finally sprung, one might be closer than you think. And today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, Josh Karis. You got it. See, me and my names. I tell you, I created a mental block in my head of two trees landscaping. Josh, thank you so much for being here. How are you doing today?

SPEAKER_02 0:39

Uh wonderful, Joe. Thanks for having me. Uh you put a little too, I think you put too much pressure on the last name, you know? I definitely do.

What Two Trees Landscaping Offers

SPEAKER_01 0:47

I do. And you know, part of my my other world is being a mindset coach and knowing how the brain works. So I really think I created my own block by being like, oh, I see it. Now I'm gonna fix it. So I put more more pressure on myself. So for our listeners, now that that's out of the way, um, let's talk about landscaping. How uh how did you um well first let's tell us about your business?

SPEAKER_02 1:13

Well, uh locally owned and operated for um, geez, I think it's 15 years now. And we do um, you know, regular maintenance if you need your grass mode and uh mulching, trimming, a little bit of light tree work, you know. Um, and we do uh hardscaping, pavers, retaining walls, things of that nature, some drainage. If you need some uh French drains or any sort of drainage on the property, we'll also do that for you.

SPEAKER_01 1:41

That's wonderful. So you've been in business a while. How did this how did you come into this type of work?

SPEAKER_02 1:49

It it absolutely fell into my lap. I was um spent most of my life playing music and um, you know, always had a part-time job filling in the gaps, and one of them happened to be working for a landscaper. And um, you know, one winter we were shoveling snow for uh a customer and a guy pulled up and it was just me. I was shoveling snow like middle of the day, and a guy pulled up and he said, uh, hey, you know, I see you shoveling snow. He's like, Do you happen to also do landscaping? And I said, Oh, absolutely. And he said, That's great. Um, do you have your own business? And I said, Absolutely. That's that's kind of how it started, you know. So it was, it was this I had been been doing it for a few years, and it was like um, I guess like a lightning bolt moment or something. I was like, oh, this is this is a chance to just do it myself, you know. It was uh presented with the opportunity and I just took it. So um it was December, and I came home uh and I told Sarah, who you know, um my wife, and I said, uh, hey, I said I just started a landscaping business, so I have a few months to get all the equipment together, you know. Uh so I had I had my first customer, and and um within a few months I had a couple more. You know, you're working outside, people see you. Um if your work is nice and they a lot of people, you know, hey, could you come over and take a look at my place? And next thing you know, um 15 years in.

The Biggest Landscaping Cost Myth

SPEAKER_01 3:21

That's awesome. And I love it. It's like that saying, you know, when someone says, Hey, can you do the thing? And you're just like, Yeah, of course. I'll figure it out when it's when it's time to to to figure it out. So I'm I'm curious, are there what are some of the misconceptions about your industry and landscaping and this kind of work?

SPEAKER_02 3:42

Misconceptions? Um interesting question. Um I don't know, that's a tough one to answer, I guess. Um yeah, I mean I wish I had a good answer for you, but uh maybe um okay, okay. So how about maybe you couldn't afford it? You know, that's that that's one I think is a maybe a common misconception is oh, it's gonna be too expensive. Or um, you know, I I that's probably the one. I would probably say that's that's the biggest misconception is that it's unaffordable or it's for a certain level of um of home. You know, we've we've done some really, really nice work for uh uh a lower cost home, I guess you could say would be the the word I'm looking for. You know what I mean? Yeah, um it doesn't have to be a huge job, it doesn't have to be anything ultra extensive. Like your your your place could look as great as it possibly can, you know, if you hire a professional. And it's not gonna necessarily cost you a month's rent or a mortgage payment or anything like that. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 4:56

So it really is accessible, and I think that's one of the things that I that I sit with. Part of of where I sit in that space of one day I'm not gonna want to do this, you know, and not because I really don't want to, but am I physically gonna be able to do it? And you know, seeing that like, you know what, that does make sense. Like I should, I should actually not be doing this anymore. And that's okay as well, especially shoveling snow. Nowadays I'm like, I don't want to go out there and shovel that snow.

Helping Neighbors And Loving The Work

SPEAKER_02 5:28

That seems to be the one, you know, that's the one that that that seems to do everybody in, you know, it's the that repetitive, that repetitive bending, and and uh yeah, but you know, it's funny you say it because I just got a call today for a woman in um, she's actually out in White Haven, and she said, nobody wants to come out, and she's elderly and by herself, you know. And I was like, Yeah, we'll come out and take care of you. Absolutely. She's like, Oh, it's a very small job, and you know, if you're coming that far, and it's like some sometimes you just you want to do the right thing and help people as well. You know, it's not just all about the bottom line all the time, you know. Right, right. Um we have to make money, we're a business, but you know, it's good, it's good to help. And and you know, I have an elderly grandfather, and of course, the he's on the grassroot every week, you know. Um so yeah, it's it it's it's satisfying, you know, it's really satisfying because the place looks so great and and people are so happy with it. That's their their outer environment, they have to see it every single day, they get to see it every single day, and it's um, you know, it's nice to walk through your beautiful yard on your way home or on your way out to work or whatever, you know.

How Josh Markets Lawn Service

SPEAKER_01 6:41

Yeah, yeah. So we all know, and we've kind of just been been touching on a little that marketing is a huge part of every business. And who are your target customers and how are you attracting them?

SPEAKER_02 6:55

Well, you know, at the moment, um, we're looking to grow our weekly lawn service. So we've just been, you know, for now, I just I have some um door hangers made. We've been hitting, you know, just targeting some neighborhoods. And uh I try to hit them, try to hit them every week so they get used to seeing the logo. And um, you know, I think it was Ogil V said it was seven times you have to see something for it to stick, you know. Um, you hope you just don't become a pain in the butt at like number five, and then they're sick of seeing you. So we'll you know, we'll see what happens. But yeah, then the plan after you know, maybe three or four times, then I would I would do like a targeted Facebook just on that neighborhood, Facebook marketing, you know? Yeah.

Customer Relationships And Podcast Thoughts

SPEAKER_01 7:47

Have you ever thought about having your own podcast and talking about this and putting yourself out there in that kind of way?

SPEAKER_02 7:55

Yeah, I mean, you know, I love to talk. That's that's for sure. I could, I could, I could do that for a living, you know. It's it's kind of um it's it's kind of it's 50-50 what my favorite part of the job is, you know, because I'm not always out on the road, like I have guys and stuff. Um, but but I was just out today. That was another reason why I was kind of rushing to get on because we were out working and then I I just got back. I was like, holy crap, it's you know, 4 30 or whatever. Um but but the other part is I love to talk to the customers and take my time and get to know them. And I've had customers over the years that we've gone to family barbecues together and you know things like that. So, but to answer your question, yeah, I could podcast has definitely been on my mind occasionally, you know.

Music Life Outside The Job

SPEAKER_01 8:45

Right, yeah. Um, so when you're not cutting the grass, maybe you're playing music. We'll we'll slip that in there on the side note. But what are you doing? What do you do for fun when you're not working?

SPEAKER_02 8:59

Yeah, well, I play I play music. I'm stay pretty active in the music community, you know. Um at the moment, I'm playing drums in Aaron Fink's band. If you remember him or know of Aaron Fink.

SPEAKER_01 9:13

He sounds very familiar.

SPEAKER_02 9:15

He was one of the original members of Breaking Benjamin, the guitar player. Yeah, so he's got a great, a great solo project. His music's fantastic and lots of fun. It's a great group. Um, so you know, uh, sometimes I'm rehearsing or we're playing shows locally or out of town and um spend time with the family when we when we're all together, you know, when the when the our our teenage son is around and wants to do something with us, you know. Um yeah, basic stuff.

Service Standards And Clean Work Culture

SPEAKER_01 9:50

Right, right. So if you can tell our listeners one thing that they should remember about two trees landscaping, what would that be?

SPEAKER_02 10:00

I would say that we offer a really excellent personal customer service. You know, you're gonna talk to me, you're gonna meet me, you're gonna deal with me, um, I'm gonna check in. If you have to call me, you call me anytime. I'll, you know, I'll be right out to check it out. And um, I think I really think we do great work. You know, really proud, really proud of my guys, and we're extremely detail-oriented, very clean, very tidy. Um, you know, we have a whole culture on the job of no foul language, uh clean appearance, um, leave the place nicer than you found it, you know, keep the tools even just very organized and very clean. And we try to work efficiently as possible as well. You know, get get into your yard and get out, let you enjoy it.

Where They Work And How To Reach Them

SPEAKER_01 10:50

Yeah, that's wonderful. If you can, please tell our listeners where they can find you if there's a specific area that you mostly work in, and what would be the best way to contact you and learn more about working with you?

SPEAKER_02 11:04

Sure. Well, uh, so you know, we're on Facebook, Two Trees Land in Lawn Care on Facebook. Also, you could just Google the name, Two Trees Land in Lawn Care on Google. We'll come right up, you'll see all the reviews, and um phone numbers on there, the hours are on there. And um yeah, I think those are the two best two best places to find find us. And I generally work from about West Pitston to Nanacoke through Dallas, you know. Wonderful over in Looksbare as well.

SPEAKER_01 11:37

Uh-huh. Well, Josh, thank you so much for being here and from everyone at the Good Neighbor Podcast. We wish you all of the luck and success moving forward.

SPEAKER_02 11:46

Really appreciate it, Joe. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 11:48

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 11:50

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to GMPNEPA.com. That's GMPNEPA.com. Or call 570 908.